Cekeca Road, Makhaza, was closed temporarily after a sewer pipe burst approximately two weeks ago. Residents said repairs to the street were long overdue. They complained that the damage was affecting their daily lives.

Collapsed sewer pipe disrupts daily life in Makhaza

Resident Simakele Nyalambisa urged the City to speed up the repairs. She said the problem was causing toilet pipes to become blocked.

“There is a problem with the underground infrastructure. The sewer pipe was leaking, which caused a mess on the street, so the City had to close the street and fix it. But the problem now is that sometimes our toilets overflow when we flush them.”

Nyalambisa said the whole street had to be resurfaced because it was damaged, and motorists could no longer drive there.

Ward 96 councillor calls for patience as repairs continue

Ward 96 Councillor Lucky Mbiza confirmed the project had begun two weeks ago, but wasn’t sure when it would be completed. He said the main sewer pipe had collapsed.

“We have a problem of old underground infrastructure that needs to be replaced in Makhaza. We had a similar problem at Nyanda Avenue about two years ago. And it happened again last year October at Japhta Masemola Road and it is still closed because the construction is trying to fix it.

“Now it occurs at Cekeca Road and the whole street is damaged. There are a lot of potholes. It needs to be started afresh.” He said motorists must take alternative routes. He said Cekeca Road has had sewage problems for almost three years.

He urged the community to be patient until the City completed the project.

ALSO READ: Sewage repairs underway after Makhaza pipe burst displaces dozens